New Director of Urology at New York Hospital Queens; Specialist in Use of Robotic Surgery for Treatment of Urologic Cancers

Flushing, N.Y., October 15, 2010– Gerald J. Wang, M.D., has been appointed director of Urology in the Department of Surgery at New York Hospital Queens (NYHQ). Dr. Wang is fellowship-trained in urologic oncology and robotic surgery. He performs robotic surgery with the hospital’s da Vinci® Si system, the most advanced robotic platform available, and he specializes in the treatment of genitourinary cancers including prostate, bladder, kidney, and testis cancers.

His appointment was announced by James Turner, M.D., chairman of Surgery. “We are very excited to have such a well-trained clinician and scholar heading up our urology division. As a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist, Dr. Wang has specialized training in minimally invasive urologic surgery, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery for renal, bladder and prostate tumors. He will also provide clinical and educational leadership to the Division of Urology and will maintain a practice in urologic oncology.”

“Robotic surgery is available, right here in Queens. At NYHQ, we offer patients with urologic cancers such as prostate, bladder, kidney, and testis tumors the very best in state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgery using the da Vinci® Si robotic surgery system. Our patients are showing great clinical results,” Dr. Wang said.

New York Hospital Queens started its robotic surgery program in May and was the first hospital in Queens to use robotics for the treatment of gynecological diseases. With Dr. Wang’s addition to the medical staff, the hospital greatly expands its robotic surgery capabilities.

In robotic surgery, a small, stereoscopic camera is inserted into the body through a 1cm incision. This gives the surgeon highly magnified three-dimensional images of the interior of the body and the surgical site in real-time. The surgeon performs the robotic surgery through a state-of-the-art console next to the patient using hand controls that translate hand, wrist and finger movements into matching, exact, real-time movements made by the robot inside the patient’s body.

“We use miniaturized instruments inside the body that enable the surgeon to make incredibly precise movements that were previously not possible with traditional open and laparoscopic approaches,” Dr. Wang said. “Also, the robotic platform enables the surgeon to see 12 times better than with the naked eye. The combination of superior visualization and robotic precision enables us to provide patients with the very best in cancer care with the potential for decreased side effects from surgery.” In terms of recovery, Dr. Wang adds that “with robotic surgery, we use smaller incisions with less tissue retraction and manipulation. Patients experience less pain postoperatively which translates into faster recovery. Patients are able to return to work and normal activities much more quickly than with traditional surgery.”

Background on Dr. Wang

Dr. Wang received his bachelor of science degree in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry from Yale University. He received his M.D. degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine. He then completed his residency training in urology at the New York Presbyterian Hospital—Weill Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Afterwards, he completed a highly specialized fellowship in urologic oncology and robotic surgery at the New York Presbyterian Hospital—Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Wang is Assistant Professor of Clinical Urology at Weill Cornell Medical College and a member of the American Urological Association and the Society for Laparoendoscopic Surgeons.

Gerald Wang, M.D., Director, Urology

He has published numerous articles in national and international urologic journals, as well as book chapters in urology textbooks. He has presented extensively at international urologic meetings and has won several awards, most notably for his research in robotic surgery. Recently, he was appointed as the prestigious Ferdinand C. Valentine Research Fellow by the New York Academy of Medicine and the American Urological Association for his work in bladder cancer research. He is noted for publishing one of the seminal papers on the role of robotic surgery for removal of the bladder for invasive bladder cancer.

What Is a Urologist?

Urologists are physicians who are trained to diagnose and treat problems involving the genitourinary tract. A urologist treats both men and women. Urologists are surgical specialists who treat problems involving the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder in both men and women, and the genital structures in men, which includes the prostate and testis. While Dr. Wang is trained in all aspects of general urology, he has particular expertise in cancers of the genitourinary tract, including prostate, bladder, kidney and testis tumors.

The symptoms that patients experience when seeking the care of a urologist vary greatly but can include blood in the urine, an abnormal prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, the finding of a kidney mass on CT scan or sonogram, kidney stones, and problems with urination in both men and women.

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of the Weill Cornell Medical College.

###Note to Editors: Dr. Wang is available for interviews. He is conversant in Spanish and Mandarin.